This weekend, we are taking our son away for a special “Birthday
Weekend”. We are going to the NASCAR race in New Hampshire. So— this
week’s questions are going to relate to NASCAR.

1. Describe your “relationship” with NASCAR. Are you a big fan? An
occasional watcher? Never had any interest in it at all?

Dwane, Eben, and I are all huge fans. I'm sure Caleb will be too, once he gets a little older. It started slowly in 2001, and then really picked up speed (pun intended) after that. We all have Nascar ball caps, and we never miss a watching the race on TV. In fact, I usually even prepare a supper that is a local specialty in the state where the race is taking place. One of our favorites was a roast that you cook on the grill for California.

2. Tell us about your favorite NASCAR driver. Is he/she your favorite
driver because of their ability, or because of some aspect of their
personality? If you didn’t even know that NASCAR involves driving,
you could tell us about your favorite professional athlete.

Our favorite driver is Bobby Labonte, driver of the #43 Cheerios Dodge. He drives for Richard Petty. This is how he chose him as our favorite: Dwane was employed by MBNA. At the time, MBNA was a sponsor of the Home Depot car (orange) and the Interstate Batteries car (green). Since MBNA was the sponsor, it seemed obvious that we needed to pick one of these two teams. Eben's favorite color is green. Since Bobby Labonte drove the green Interstate Batteries car at the time, he became "our" driver. Later, we also learned that he is a Christian and has been awarded the "Safe Driver" award many times. When we first started watching NASCAR, he would usually be in the top 10 in points. (He actually won the Championship in 2000.) He now tends to be in the mid-twenties. (I think he 25 right now.)

3. Have you ever attended a NASCAR race? If not, would you like to go to
one? Which one would you like to go to? If you didn’t even know that
NASCAR involves racing, you could tell us about any professional
sporting event that you have attended, or would like to attend.

Dwane, Eben, and I attended the Coca Cola 600 (the season's longest race) in 2002. It was in Charlotte, North Carolina. We had a good time, but I was quite perturbed that we paid $70+ each for a ticket, and had to sit on concrete steps!!! I have dreams of one day winning the Power Ball, buying a Motor Home and driving cross country to attend every NASCAR race.

4. My Dad’s theory was that NASCAR was rigged—that crashes were created
on purpose to give the fans what they wanted to see (similar to
professional wrestling). Do you agree or disagree? Why?

Well, I definitely think that there are times when a driver intentionally takes out another driver. However, I don't think that the "NASCAR Organization" says, "Ok, this week it's your turn to win, and you need to make sure there is at least one 15-car pile-up. It's way too expensive to make "fake" crashes.

5. If you were going to be surprised with a “getaway weekend” for your
birthday, where would you like to go? While it’s fun to dream,
let’s try to be somewhat realistic. (In other words, jet setting
to Paris is probably out.)

I think I'd like to go to a Women of Faith weekend, or a Close to My Heart Convention (which will be in Orlando in 2007). Women of Faith is actually on a weekend, but the CTMH Convention is more like Monday through Thursday. I would love to go to both events, and they would sure make good birthday presents. If I was going to keep it really local, I'd probably do what we normally do on my birthday weekend: go to Bangor for some shopping, and then Dwane gets some lobster. Nothing really fancy, but it works for me!